What do inhabitants of local municipalities require from technical and scientific support to preserve their trust in nuclear power? In over twelve years of shared experience among representatives of municipalities in Europe, several basic principles were constantly reaffirmed: the population's safety is not negotiable, transparency and access to information are necessary to enable each citizen to forge his or her own opinion and make independent assessments, local communities should take part in the decision making process, radioactive waste must be managed in a responsible manner and the economic development of affected areas must be sustained and integrated. Several examples of industrial development affecting a small locality are discussed, from granite quarries and an iron mine to nuclear facilities and the next nuclear power plant in France. In all these cases, and in the nuclear field, where controversy exists, strong and acknowledged technical and scientific support is essential to ensure a serious and objective public debate. Such support is key to giving confidence to the population and to avoiding decisions linked, not to nuclear or energy goals, but to short term political goals.
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